Spring-motor



(No Model.)

J. B. POWELL.

SPRING MOTOR.

Patented June 3, 1884.

UNTTnn STATES PATENT @TTTQE- JOHN B. POWELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,849, dated June 3, 1884.

Application filed March 13, 1884. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J 01 n B. POWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Motors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

In spring-motors of that class wherein a coiled spring or springs acts upon and gives motion to a train of gearing, and through such train of gearing to a sewing-machine, it has been found that to get the best effect of speed and pow er the relative rates of revolution of the main gear-wheel, which is connected to the main spring-shaft, and of the band-wheel of the machine, must be such that the latter will revolve as rapidly as the character of work will allow.

In Letters Patent of the United States No.

- 246,197, dated August 23, 1881, and No. 293,193,

dated February 5, 1884, granted to me, I have shown and described an improved form of spring-motor, wherein the rate of speed and degree of power are constant for a certain length of time. As the motor shown and described in the said Letters Patent is primarily designed for operating a sewing-machine, I have so arranged the gearing that one revolution of the main gear-wheel will effect a certain predetermined number of revolutions of the band-wheel of the sewing-machine, causing the latter to make an equal number of stitches. I find the best effect is obtained when the machine runs at a high rate of speed; but when the mot-or has run the machine for a certain time at that rate, the springs are no longer 'strong enough to drive the machine and a total stoppage ensues, the springs, however, still retaining a certain amount of latent power, but not suflicient to overcome the friction of the gearing when arranged as before said.

My invention has for its object the provision of means whereby, in motors of this class, the before-mentioned latent energy of the springs may be utilized to prolong the length of running time of the motor without rewinding the springs.

My invention accordingly consists in the peculiar construction and combination of mechanism to accomplish the above-mentioned object. r

As my present improvement is designed to be used in connection with a motor substantially the same as is described and claimed in my before-mentioned Letters Patent, I deem it unnecessary to describe the motor in its entirety, and hence will only refer to such parts of the latter as enter into the combination with my present improvements.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper part of a motor, showing the gearing constructed according to my improvements. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a shifting device, by means of which the position of a portion of said gearing is shifted; and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective showing a portion of one of the gearwheels.

A designates the main shaft, journaled in the gear-bracket A of the machine and attached t0 the spring A A second spring, A is shown; but as the arrangement of the springs and their connection to the driving-shaft is fully described and shown in my before-mentioned Letters Patent, it will be unnecessary to further describe them.

B represents the supplemental shaft of the motor, likewise journaled in gear-bracket A.

G is the main gear-wheel attached to the shaft A, and gearing into a small wheel, 0, upon the supplemental shaft 13.

D D and E E are similar wheels geared together, and operating to receive motion from the main gear and transmit it to a gear-wheel, F, through a sleeve, f, to which the last-named gear-wheel and the small gear E are keyed or otherwise properly secured.

G designates a gear-wheel somewhat smaller than the wheel F, and secured to the sleeve f above the latter wheel. Upon a sleeve, h, upon the main shaft are secured two small gear-wheels, Hand I, which are at such distance apart that when one of them is in gear with one of the wheels F or G the other will be idle and revolve in the space between the said wheels F and G. p

K represents a collar, which is loosely fitted upon the shaft A below the gear-wheel H, and forms its bearing, and is provided with flanges it, between which fits the end of a lever, L, whose forked ends embrace said collar. The lever L is pivoted at Zto a riser, m, upon a bent arm, on, secured to the gear-bracketA. A'screw, of, passes through a hole, Z, in lever L, and screws into the projecting end of arm M, the object of said screw being to limit and regulate the amount of movement of lever L. The teeth of the gear-wheels F G H I are of peculiar form, such formation being designed to facilitate their gearing into one another when shifted. In Fig. 3 of the drawings, I

have illustrated their construction more fully, and will now proceed to describe the same. The teeth of wheels F and I project up slightly above the surface of the wheels, of which they form part, and their upper sides are beveled or brought to a point, the beveled portion being preferablyprolonged in upon the periphery of the wheel, and thereby imparting additional strength to the teeth. The teeth of wheels G and H project downwardly, and are constructed in a manner similar to that of the teeth of wheels F and I.

The operation is as follows: At first starting the motor the gears F and H are engaged, and hence, the former being of considerable size as compared to the latter, the machinery (which is connected with star-wheel 0) will run at a rapid rate. After a considerable lapse of time the power of the springs will, with this gearing, be insufficient to overcome the friction and resistance of the work, and the motor will stop. The lever L is now depressed, raising the gears H and I, and causing the former to be released from engagement with the wheel F and the latter to engage with wheel G. As the relative sizes of wheels I and G differ considerably from the relative sizes of wheelsF and H, less power is required to run the motor when they are in engagement, and the latent power of the springs will continue to run the machine for a considerable period.

It is to be understood that when the second pair of gear-wheels are brought into play the speed and power of the motor remain undiniinished, but the springs unwind at a more rapid rate.

lVIy object in forming the teeth of the movable gear-wheels of the peculiar form shown and described is to facilitate their engagement, as, if the teeth were flat upon each side, there would be a constant grind and wear when their fiat surfaces came into contact. \Vhen constructed as herein described, however, the teeth, when brought into contact, will instantly slide into engagement by reason of the fact that their opposing surfaces are reduced to a sharp edge.-

WVhile I have shown and described the changeable gear-wheels at the end of the train of gearing of the motor, it is obvious that their position relatively to said trainmay be varied Without affecting their operation.

1 Having fully described my invention, I

claim 1; In a spring-motor, the combination, with the main gear-wheel, of two pairs of gears relatively different in size, and means, substantially as described, for alternately bringing into play the said pair of gears, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the train of gearing of a spring-motor and two pairs of gearwheels of relatively different size connected thereto, of a lever adapted and designed to bring said pairs of gear-wheels alternately into play, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the gearing of a spring-motor, of the gear-wheels H and I, mounted upon the main shaft A, and adapted to be geared alternately with the gear-wheels F and G, mounted upon the supplemental shaft B, and the shiftinglever L, all constructed and arranged substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my handthis 10th day of March, 1884.

JOHN B. POXVELL. 

